1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system and method for managing a database. More particularly, to the configurable binding of controlled entities to access control lists.
2. Background Art
Access control is an important element in a content management system. An access control list (ACL) is used to determine who can access an entity and what operations can be performed on that entity.
IBM Content Manager Version 7 (CM V7) allows an ACL to be associated with either an item or an index class (a table of multiple items with the same attributes). The resolution of access control is based on the entity and the operation. It does not provide the flexibility that allows the resolution to be made at either the item level or the index class level. In addition, with respect to consistency, the ACL of the index class may allow a user to retrieve the items in the index class, but ACL of the item may not allow the user to access the content.
There is, therefore, a need in the art for a system and method for providing configurable binding of ACLs for an item and an item type (a group of tables containing items with same attributes) in order to improve flexibility and consistency on access control resolution.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved system and method for managing access to entities.